Vientiane, 22 July 2009: Over the past two days, delegates from the Cambodian Council for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) met with technical staff from over 15 ministries and agencies at a workshop exploring collaboration, cooperation and building partnerships for nutrition and food security.
Co-chaired by the National Science Council and Ministry of Planning and Investment, in attendance were H.E. Srun Darith, Deputy Secretary General of CARD and Head of Secretariat of TWG-FSN, Office of the Council of Ministers, H.E. Bonthavy Sisouphanthong, Vice Minister of Ministry of Planning and Investment, H.E. Dr. Ir. Maydom Chanthanasinh, Vice President of the National Science Council and many high ranking officials and technical staff from numerous ministries. The workshop was preceded by a Welcome Dinner and Fellowship Night attended by high level ranking officials from over 15 ministries and development partners.
The workshop familiarized decision makers and officers of the planning departments on the cross-cutting nature of nutrition and food security, increase understanding on how to mainstream the issues into the country’s five-year-plan and explore the mechanisms for improved coordination among ministries in their efforts of reducing hunger and malnutrition.
“Tackling hunger in Laos requires strong coordination, collaboration and cooperation among all stakeholders, including government institutions, mass organizations, the private sector, academia, local community, Lao professional organization and international agencies engaged in this fight” said Ir. Somphone Phanousith, Permanent Secretary of the National Science Council, Office of the Prime Minister.
“Nutrition and food security are cross-cutting issues, so it is essential to mainstream them in the NSEDP across sectors at national and sub-national level. The Government is leading the country in making this change and all ministries and agencies have crucial roles in achieving it”, adds Mr Somphone.
Ministries attending the workshop included Health, Agriculture and Forestry, Education, Justice, Planning and Investment, Energy and Mining, Industry and Commerce, Labor and Social Welfare, Public Work and Transport, Finance, Culture and Information, Water Resource and Environment Authority and National Authority for Science and Technology (NAST).
All of the services of the line ministries are enhanced through the network of the Lao Women’s Union, Lao Youth Union, Lao Trade Union and Lao Front for National Construction.
“We must again be strong and innovative in our approach to this crisis. We must work together in a collaborative, coordinated, multi-sectoral and interdisciplinary way. We must find synergies and ways of collaborating, cooperating, coordinating and sharing our wealth of knowledge and skills. We must build sustainable partnerships.” Adds Ir. Somphone Phanousith.
Forty percent of Lao children under the age of five years continue to suffer from chronic malnutrition, denying these children the right to reach their full mental and physical potential.
Malnutrition directly impacts on GDP through losses in physical productivity. It also causes increased health care costs and reduces the chances that a child will go to school, stay in school, and perform well. For Laos, this results in an estimated $US166 million loss of productivity from chronic malnutrition between the years 2005 and 2010.
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